COVID-19 SUPPLIES. Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Stephen Paduano (left) and Negros Occidental Board Member Ryan Gamboa receive the 18,000 kits for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) testing sent by the Department of Health to the province’s Third District at the Bacolod-Silay airport on Sunday (Sept. 27, 2020). They immediately turned over the supplies to the Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital Molecular Laboratory in Silay City through chief of clinics, Dr. Mary Ann Maestral. (Photo courtesy of Office of Third District Rep. Kiko Benitez)
BACOLOD CITY – The Department of Health (DOH) sent Sunday 18,000 kits for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) testing to the badly-hit Third District of Negros Occidental.
The arrival of the supplies, including reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) kits, extraction kits, reagents, and viral transport media, boosted the full operation of the Metro Third Emergency Operations Center (EOC) starting Monday.
These were immediately turned over by Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Stephen Paduano and Board Member Ryan Gamboa to the Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital (TLJPH) Molecular Laboratory in Silay City through Dr. Mary Ann Maestral, chief of clinics.
Third District Rep. Jose Francisco Benitez, who requested the testing supplies along with Paduano, said the EOC, which is based in E.B. Magalona town, will augment the targeted testing of identified individuals in various areas of the district as a result of intensified contact tracing.
Comprised of the cities of Talisay, Silay, and Victorias, and municipalities of Murcia and E.B. Magalona, the Third District has the highest Covid-19 cases in Negros Occidental, with a total of 1,148 out of the 2,900 cases in the province as of Sept. 26.
Out of the 31 local government units, Talisay recorded the most number of cases with 473, followed by Silay, 373; Murcia, 130 cases; Victorias, 88; and E.B. Magalona, 84.
Talisay and Silay are just north of this city, which is under modified enhanced community quarantine until Sept. 30 due to its rising Covid-19 cases.
“The critical need to consolidate resources and efforts, define and improve data analysis, and step up augmentation of targeted testing, tracing and isolation and treatment will now be solidly addressed with our Metro Third EOC,” Benitez said in a statement on Monday.
The lawmaker thanked the DOH, the Negros Occidental provincial government led by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, and the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) Visayas through its deputy implementer retired, Maj. Gen. Melquiades Feliciano, for their assistance against Covid-19.
Benitez also acknowledged the support of Paduano, the mayors and other officials, as well as the dedication and courage of the medical front-liners and other workers. (PNA)
